Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) in the River Wouri, Littoral Region in Cameroon

Abstract

Water covers about 70% of the earth’s surface. Coastal areas offer unique ecological services and serve as a source of livelihood through fishing, sand mining, and recreational activities. The utility of coastal waters is altered by the addition of foreign substances or weeds, such as water hyacinth. In River Wouri, water hyacinth can be traced right back to 1982. Its distribution over the past 40 years has been evaluated in this study alongside the seasonal changes in 2023. Through the use of geographic information systems and remote sensing technology using ArcGIS and ENVI, the extent of the spread of water hyacinth in River Wouri has been assessed. Transect sampling, that is, plot sampling along the River Wouri was also carried out to evaluate the changes in the weed population in the rainy and dry seasons. The findings of this study revealed that water hyacinth is found in River Wouri all year round. It was also observed that the distribution in the dry season is relatively higher than in the rainy season. Over the past 4 decades, the population of the weed has been relatively stable, with 2002 recording the lowest quantity of the weed, 2012 and 2022 recording the highest quantity.